Automatic electrical controls for knitting machines



y 1962 T. D. BUMPAS ETAL 3,031,869

AUTOMATIC ELECTRICAL CONTROLS FOR KNITTING MACHINES Filed June 15, 19592 Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENTORS T. D. BUMPAS W. 0. WHEELER H. I. STEENATTORNEY May 1, 1962 T. D. BUMPAS ETAL AUTOMATIC ELECTRICAL CONTROLS FORKNITTING MACHINES Filed June 15, 1959 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTORS T. D.BuMPAs w.o. WHEELER H. 1. STEEN BY A ATTORNE 3,tl31,t369 AUTQMATICELECTRECAL CGNTROLS FOR KNITTHNG MAtIHllNES Troy D. Bumpas, 1712 TateSt., Watson ()deil Wheeler, 1508 Tate St, and Harry I. Steer], 1523Cruise fit, all of Corinth, Miss.

Filed June 15, 1959, Ser. No. 820,161 4 Claims. (Cl. 66-157) Thisinvention relates to the manufacture of fabrics of various kinds, to'knitting machines and equipment by which such articles are manufactured,and to safety and control devices by which the operations of knittingmachines or portions thereof are governed or controlled.

The invention relates particularly to the knitting of stockings or otherarticles of a character to fit a specific configuration and including aknitting machine employed in such knitting operations as well as tosafety devices for preventing damage to the articles knitted and to theknitting machine.

In the knitting of a stocking in the normal cycle it is necessary thatthe width of the stocking be narrowed to conform to the contour of theleg. In the usual knitting operation the machine knits an article of thesame width and when the knitting is narrowed the narrowing points on themachine dip down and pick up the stocking and shift it inwardly for twoneedles. In the desired operation of the machine the narrowing pointsshould dip down only a single time however as a result of themalfunctioning of the machine, the gears which operate the narrowingpoints may become stuck and this would cause the narrowing points tocontinue to dip down and move the knitting inwardly. This could resultin the stacking up of one layer of knitting on another thereby ruiningthe particular fabric and if the machine were permitted to make a numberof clips without stopping serious damage to the machine could result.

It is an object of the invention to overcome the difficulties enumeratedand to provide mechanism for interrupting the supply of power to aknitting machine if malfunctioning should occur for any reason such asdue to the gears which operate the narrowing points becoming stuck andcausing the narrowing points to dip. By the interruption of power andits stoppage the machine will be prevented from ruining an article beingknitted as well as the machine from being damaged.

Other objects and advantages of the invention will be apparent from thefollowing description taken in conjunction with the drawings, wherein:

FIG. 1 is a perspective of a knitting machine cut-01f or powerinterruptor illustrating one application of the invention;

FIG. 2, a side elevation of the right side;

FIG. 3, a side elevation of the left side;

FIG. 4, a section on the line 44 of FIG. 2; and

FIG. 5, a section on the line 55 of FIG. 1.

Briefly stated, the invention is a device for shutting oil? orinterrupting the supply of electrical power to a knitting machine suchdevice being placed adjacent a shaft which extends the length of themachine and on which a cam is mounted from such shaft the actuation ofparts of the mechanism being accomplished, such cam serving to move thenarrowing of the stocking or article knit, a pair of rollers beingprovided which are attached to lever arms which operate a ratchet andimpart positive rotation to a switch-operating cam.

With continued reference to the drawings the knitting machine cut-ofiiof the present invention comprises a base with a housing 11 secured onone end thereof by screws or other fasteners 12. The housing 11 hassides 13 and 14 and a top 15. A micro-switch 17 is mounted 3,031,869 IPatented May 1, 1962 in the housing on the side or wall 14 and isprovided with an opening 18 through which leads 19 pass and connect anormally closed micro-switch 17 with a source of power on the loom. Themicro-switch is provided with a flexible arm 20 and when such arm isdepressed a pin 21 is depressed to break the connection in themicroswitch and cut oi the power to the machine.

A shaft 22 is mounted in the housing 11 and has ends projecting throughsides 13 and 14. A cam member 23 is mounted within the housing 11 and isfixed to the shaft 22 by a set-screw 24 and such cam member is locatedin a position immediately above lever 20 so that upon rotation of theshaft 22 the cam 23 will engage and depress such lever. A ratchet gear25 is fixed on the shaft 22 by a set-screw 26 exteriorly of the side 13of the housing. A crank arm 27 is pivotally carried on the shaft 22adjacent the ratchet gear 25 and axial movement of the crank arm islimited by a stop 28 secured on the shaft 22 by a set-screw 29.

A projection 30 is pivotally connected to the lower end of the crank arm27 and is provided with an opening 31 through which a connecting rod 32is adapted to pass. 7

This rod 32 is adjustably held in fixed relation to the projection 30 bycollars 33, one being mounted on each side of the projection 30 andhaving set-screws 34 for locking them on the rod 32 in its adjustedposition.

The opposite end of the rod 32 is provided with a connecting member 35pivotally connected to a toggle bar or lever 36 by a pivot pin 37. Thetoggle bar 36 is pivotally mounted on a shaft 38 extending through abore in the base 10 and is held in fixed position by a set-screw 10', aset-screw held collar 39 being utilized to maintain the toggle bar inalignment on the shaft. Thelower end of the toggle bar 36 is adapted tocarry a roller 40 on a shaft 41 and held in place by a nut 42.

On the opposite side of the base 10 a similar toggle bar 43 is mountedin like manner and is adapted to carry a roller 44 at its lower end anda connecting member 45 held by a pin 45 on its upper end. The connectingmember 45 is fixed to a link 46 which extends rearwardly to a bracket 47fixed on the housing 15 and is held against endwise movement on the link46 by a stop 48 secured by a set-screw 49. A collar 50 is fastened onthe link' 46 in spaced relation to the stop or collar 48 on the oppositeside of the bracket 47 by a set screw 51. The stop St? is held in fixedspaced relation to bracket 47 by a normally biasing spring 52, andrearward movement of link 46 is governed by stop 48 in conjunction withspring 52.

A pin or projection 53 is mounted in the stop 50 and is adapted toengage a pin or projection 54 in the top of a pawl 55 mounted on theside 13 of the housing by means of a pivot pin 56. A pin or projection'57 is carried by the pawl 55 and projects outwardly therefrom. Theouter end of the pin 57 is adapted to carry a spring 58 to bias ,ormaintain the pawl 55 to intimate contact with the ratchet 25 until suchtime as the pawl is released by the pin 53 exerting force on the pin 54and pivoting the pawl 55 out of engagement with the ratchet 25. Theopposite end of the spring 58 is attached to a pin 59 carried by a pawl60 mounted by a pivot 61 on the crank arm'27 and such pawl is normallymaintained out of engagement with the ratchet 25 (FIG. 4) by a stop 62and an ad portion 66 having a groove 67 in which is received one end ofa spring 68, the opposite end of which is carried in a groove 69 of aprojection 70 mounted on the crank arm 2'7. Rearward movement of the bar27 is controlled by an adjusting screw 71 held in fixed adjustedposition by a lock nut 72 intermediate the spring 68 and the adjustingscrew 63.

In order to return the ratchet gear and the cam 23 to their originalposition the shaft 22 projects. beyond the side 14 of the housing and adepending lever 73 is adapted to be mounted thereon by a setscrew '74.The lower end of the depending lever is provided with a projection 75adapted to receive. one end of a spring 76, the opposite end of which isattached to a projection 77 mounted on the side 14. A. stop 73 isprovided which projects from the side 14 and is adapted to restrict therearward movement of the depending lever 73.

Inthe operation of the device. a conventional camshaft 80 has a flange81 with a cam 8-2 attached by a bolt 33 which extends through a slot 84to adjustably secure the cam on the flange 81. During the normal cyclethe cam 82 isopposite the roller 44 and with each revolution of theshaft such cam strikes the roller and will have no influence on theswitch.

When the machine goes into the narrowing process the cam shaft 80 movesto a position such that the cam 82 will strike the roller 40. Whenroller 40 is moved rearwardly the cam toggle bar 36 moves the link 32and the crank, arm 27 forwardly. Movement of the crank arm 27 moves thestop 62 on the pawl 69 out of engagement with the adjusting screw 63 andthe spring 58 will pull the. pawl into engagement with the ratchet 25.Upon continued movement of the roller 40 the ratchet 25 will be moveduntil the pawl '55 engages the next succeeding tooth of the. ratchet andprevents the return thereof. Movementof the ratchet rotates the shaft 22and the cam 23 until it is ready to open the micro-switch 17, whereuponfurther movement, will engage and open the switch and cut ed the powerto the machine.

When the machine is, operating correctly the shaft'Stlv will shift backto its original position and the cam 82 will strike the roller 44 andthetogglebar 43. which carries the roller 44 will move the linkage 46forwardly against the. tension of the spring 52 and, pin 53 carried bythe stop 50 on thelink 46 will engage the pin 54 and pivot the pawl '55out of engagement with the ratchet so that the spring 76- attached tothe shaft 22 through lever '73 will return the ratchet and the cam 23 totheir original positions.

If the machine, is not operating correctly and the shaft Stldoes notshift back to its original position after striking roller 40, but staysin that position, when thecam 82 again hits the roller 40 and the pawl60 moves the ratchet 25 another notch, the, ratchetwill turn the shaft22 and the cam 23 carried thereon to depress the lug 21 on themicroswitch and open the circuit to stop operation of the machine. Themachine will remain inoperative until such areas After the cam 82 haspassed roller 4d the depending 7 bar 27 is moved rearwardly against theadjusting screw 71 bythe spring 68 and the stop 62 on the pawl willstrike. the adjusting screw 63 to move such pawl about pivot 61 todisengage the pawl 60 from the ratchet 25.

It will be obvious to ,one skilled in the art that various from thespirit and scope thereof and therefore the invention is not limited bythat which is illustrated in the 4 drawings and described in thespecification, but only as indicated in the accompanying claims.

What is claimed is:

l. A device for interrupting the supply of electrical energy to aknitting machine comprising a base, a housing mounted on said base, amicro-switch mounted in said housing, cam means for depressing saidmicro-switch, said cam means being rotated by a ratchet, a pawl formoving said ratchet, a linkage pivotally mounted on said base for movingsaid pawl and said ratchet, a second pawl for holding said ratchet inrotated position when said first pawl is returned to its originalposition, a second linkage pivotally mounted on said base and operableby said knitting machine to release said second pawl, spring means forreturning said cam and ratchet to their initial positions, said cammeans including means whereby said first linkage must be operated atleast twice in succession to operate said micro-switch.

2. A device for interrupting the supply of electrical energy to aknitting'machine comprising a body having support means on one endthereof, a pair of mechanical linkages pivotally mounted on the oppositeend of said body in a manner to be actuated by the knitting machine, apawl carried by one of said linkages, a shaft journalled in said supportmeans, a ratchet mounted on said shaft and adapted to rotate said shaftwhen engaged and moved by said pawl, said pawl normally being out ofengagement with said ratchet, a switch mounted on said support means,cam means mounted on said shaft in a position to engage said switch whensaid shaft is rotated a predetermined amount, a holding pawl mounted onsaid support means in a manner to maintain said ratchet in rotatedposition, and means carried by the other of said linkages for releasingsaid holding pawl when said second linkage is actuated.

3. A device for interrupting the supply of electrical energy to aknitting machine upon the malfunctioning of the latter, said devicecomprising a body, rotatable operating means mounted on said body,ratchet means for rotating said operating means, a, first linkageoperable by the knitting machine for actuating said ratchet means,holding means for holding said ratchet means in an intermediateposition, a second linkage operable by the knitting machine forreleasing said holding means, said operating means being positioned sothat said first linkage must be operated twice in succession to actuatesaid operating means and interrupt the supply of electricity.

4. A device for interrupting the supply of electrical energy to aknitting machine upon the malfunctioning of the latter, said deviceincluding a body, a switch mounted on said body, acam rotatably mountedon said body in operative relation with said switch, rotatable ratchetmeans for rotating said cam, a mechanical linkage operable by theknitting; machine for rotating said ratchet means, a pawl for holdingsaid ratchet means in actuated position, a release mechanism operablebythe knitting machine for releasing said pawl, said cam being locatedin a manner that said linkage must be operated at least twice insuccession to operate said switch.

References (Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS

